In their relentless quest for fuel, energy companies are now clearcutting native forests, grinding up whole trees into chips and pellets and then burning them to produce electricity. Enviva, the South's largest wood-pellet manufacturer, is supplying the Europe-based Drax Group as well as Dominion Power, a Virginia-based utility. Burning trees for energy not only destroys hardwood forests and wildlife habitat, it also creates more carbon pollution than coal, gas and oil. Tell these companies to stop destroying our forests and to choose renewable energy instead.

Obama Administration Mismanaged Review of Wolf Plan

The Fish and Wildlife Service now admits it erred by excluding key scientists from reviewing its plan to remove the wolf from the endangered species list across most of the Lower 48 states. The scientists had previously expressed grave concerns about the proposal. The agency has now begun a new peer review process, which exists to ensure that policies are based on the best available science. On a related front, NRDC activists joined other wolf advocates at a Washington, D.C. rally and public hearing last month to voice their support for wolf protections. If you haven't taken action, you can still send a message to the Fish and Wildlife Service before October 28.

A Message on Climate
from Carole King

Carole King, the most beloved female songwriter in pop music history, is also a powerful voice for environmental protection. In her new video, created for our Demand Clean Power campaign, she explains the urgent need to tackle climate change.

Shell Fined for Polluting Arctic

The EPA is citing Shell Oil for violating the Clean Air Act during its failed attempts to drill in the Polar Bear Seas last year. The oil giant will have to pay a $1.1 million fine. Shell continues to pursue drilling in the Arctic Ocean, despite the catastrophic risks to that fragile environment. Take action.

Whales Win One in Court

Siding with NRDC and our allies, a federal court has ruled that the Obama Administration violated the law by approving a Navy plan to deploy sonar -- potentially deadly to whales -- in the Pacific Northwest. We are still fighting the Navy's bigger five-year plan to test and train with sonar and explosives off both coasts. Read more.

BioGems Defenders sent over 87,500 messages urging the Obama Administration to investigate the Wildlife Services agency, which kills more than 100,000 native carnivores every year at the behest of ranchers and agribusiness.

Photos: The Big Story (Bad Idea: Burning Forests for Energy): Bill Lea; In the News (Shell Fined for Polluting the Arctic): Alaska Stock; In the News (Whales Win One More in Court): Ian McAllister.

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